The Joyce Theater Announces Their 27th Season

The Joyce Theater will invigorate the New York dance scene this fall with an eclectic and exciting line-up, and will offer a special ticket price of $10 for front row seats. Kicking off on September 15, The Joyce Theater's fall/winter season will feature 16 acclaimed companies and performers from across the country and the globe; everything from buzz-worthy ballet to the latest masterpieces by international pros are set to grace The Joyce stage in the coming months. Tickets can be purchased through JoyceCharge by calling (212) 242-0800 or online at Joyce.org.

This season will feature several companies making their Joyce debuts: the season will kick off with GROOVALOOO the hip hop sensation!-winners of NBC's "Superstars of Dance"-a thrill-ride of a show driven by a vibrant musical score, spoken word poetry and an amazing display of its dancers' physical abilities. For the holidays, Rasta Thomas' Rock the Ballet will make its Joyce debut with an extended three-week season. Fusing the best ballet technique with the excitement of musical theater, hip hop, contemporary jazz and tap, Rock the Ballet is perfect for all audiences. A Chelsea neighbor, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, will have its Joyce debut with its latest commission from Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui featuring an original score by Szymon Brzóska. According to The New York Times, "Mr. Cherkaoui is an exceedingly hot commodity, one whose fluid, sensual works have been almost entirely absent from the U.S. dance circuit." Hailing from the west coast, Pacific Northwest Ballet will make its highly anticipated debut, showcasing the east coast premieres of works recently choreographed for the company by Twyla Tharp (Opus 111) and Benjamin Millepied(3 Movements). And, not only appearing on the Joyce stage for the first time, but also making its U.S. debut with this engagement, Italy's audacious Balletto Teatro di Torino will perform two acclaimed works: Primo Toccare by choreographer Matteo Levaggi and visual artists Corpicrudi, and Trilogy, a compilation of three pieces set to music by a variety of composers, classical and contemporary.

The NYC premiere of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company's Serenade/The Proposition, one of a suite of works created in honor of the Abraham Lincoln bicentennial, is certain to be a high point of the fall/winter season. Hot off the heels of the company's world premiere of another Lincoln-inspired piece at Chicago's Ravinia Festival in September, and preceding the opening of Jones's highly acclaimed FELA! on Broadway, The Joyce is thrilled to present this work they helped commission. Another NYC-based company, Lucinda Childs, will remount DANCE, a rarely performed signature work that emerged out of one of the most vibrant and prolific periods in NYC's art world.

Richard Alston, praised by The New York Times as "the finest choreographer the British modern-dance scene has ever known," will bring his U.K.-based company to The Joyce with a program of three lyrical works with music by Stravinsky, Philip Glass and Hoagy Carmichael. Other international companies that will perform at The Joyce include: The Györ National Ballet from Hungary, one of Europe's most respected contemporary ballets, showcasing two U.S. premieres as part of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Performing Revolution in Central and Eastern Europe Festival; the Taiwan-based The Han Tang Yuefu Music and Dance Ensemble, a special guest company of the China Festival at Carnegie Hall, recreating the traditional Nanguan music and Liyuan dance of the Tang Dynasty; and the renowned Dutch company, Emio Greco | PC with the NYC premiere of [purgatorio] POPOPERA, a melding of dance performance and rock concert with music by Michael Gordon (Bang on a Can).

Audience favorites returning to The Joyce Theater this fall/winter include Garth Fagan Dance, with both a world premiere and NYC premiere, and a guest appearance by the Ying Quartet. NYC-based Ballet Hispanico, known for effectively and thrillingly exploring the essence of Latino culture, will present a program that reflects the dynamic range of the company's repertoire with premieres by Andrea Miller and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Another luminary of the American contemporary dance scene, Complexions Contemporary Ballet,-under the Artistic Direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson-will return with two exciting programs including a world premiere. Others returning include RIOULT, who will connect with audiences on an intimate level with a program that explores relationships, and Parsons Dance, presenting an ALL-NEW version of last season's sold-out, thrilling rock dance opera, Remember Me.

The following is a complete roster of companies that will be appearing at The Joyce Theater this fall/winter.

Based on the award-winning troupe's true-to-life experiences and told by the dancers who lived them, GROOVALOO combines the authenticity of A Chorus Line with the energy of STOMP as it embarks on a journey through the diverse world of hip-hop dance. Driven by jaw-dropping displays of physical ability, a vibrant musical score and powerful spoken-word poetry, the show's intertwined stories chronicle the struggles, hopes and triumphs of the 14 member cast. The Groovaloos, best known for their breakout winning performance on NBC's "Superstars of Dance," have inspired audiences from all walks of life to celebrate their passion and purpose, revealing the heart and soul behind this incredible art form.

The internationally renowned Dutch company Emio Greco | PC blends raw musicality with refined physical virtuosity in the thrilling NYC premiere of [purgatorio] POPOPERA. Witness the transformation and synergies between dancers' bodies and lustrous black electric guitars in this performance that melds dance with rock concert. Immerse yourself in the driving live score by Michael Gordon (Bang on A Can).

A seminal collaboration emerging out of one of the most vibrant and prolific periods in New York's art world, DANCE is a rarely performed signature work by one of the pillars of the Judson Dance Theater collective, Lucinda Childs. The New York Times has called this iconic choreographer the "grande dame of American dance." Recipient of the NEA/NEFA American Masterpiece Award, the 1979 classic features Philip Glass music and a Sol LeWitt film, projected onto a translucent scrim in front of the stage, with which the dancers seamlessly interact.

The Balletto Teatro di Torino makes its exciting U.S. debut at The Joyce with two impressive programs. In Primo Toccare (Program A), a collaborative work by choreographer Matteo Levaggi and visual artists Corpicrudi, dancers perform among stunning art installations, accentuating contrasts between stillness and movement. Trilogy (Program B) is a compilation of three works set to music by Arvo Pärt, Autechre, Mika Vainio and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet has distinguished itself through both its exceptionally talented corps of sixteen dancers and its concurrent emphasis on acquiring and commissioning new works by the world's most sought-after choreographers. The company's latest commission from Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui features one of Europe's most successful and inventive choreographers and an original score for string quartet and piano by Szymon Brzóska.

Soaring high and poised to celebrate four successful decades, Garth Fagan Dance lands at The Joyce Theater for its 39th season with a world premiere and a NYC premiere with a guest appearance by the Ying Quartet. Program highlights include Landscape for 10, a jewel in Fagan's repertoire set to the Brahms Violin Concerto. See the brilliance and intellect of Fagan's inimitable choreography live and enjoy a transcendent experience!

Watch the famous ancient painting of The Feast of Han Xizai come to life by the Han Tang Yuefu Music and Dance Ensemble. The Taiwan-based company recreates the traditional Nanguan music and Liyuan dance of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), with sumptuous costumes and sets by Oscar winner Tim Yip (Best Art Direction, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). See the dancers and musicians enact this legendary story with subtle drama and refined elegance, depicting how the politician protested government corruption through his decadent lifestyle.

Special Guest Company of the China Festival at Carnegie Hall. www.carnegiehall.org/Chinafestival

Not seen at The Joyce since 1996, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company returns with the NYC premiere of Serenade/The Proposition, one of a suite of works created in honor of the 2009 Abraham Lincoln bicentennial. The lively, colorful production is a spirited rumination on the very nature of history, evoked through a collage of text, video projections and beautifully deconstructed costumes. A stirring original score for piano, cello and voice is performed live, accompanying choreography that "flows ...like water finding its way through a winding stone wall" (The New York Times).

Eight daringly audacious women, seven powerful men, two visionary directors and one improbable dream equals 15 years of defying the odds. Complexions returns to The Joyce with its explosive signature style, wrought with athleticism, virtuosity and artistry. Artistic Directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson present two exhilarating programs with world premieres and repertory favorites showcasing their dynamic range of music: gospel, Chopin, 80's pop, an original score by jazz composer David Rozenblatt and the iconic sounds of U2. This performance is a celebration sizzling with passion, energy and joy.

Ballet Hispanico explores the essence of Latino cultures with a season of new voices and bold dance. Under the new artistic leadership of Eduardo Vilaro, the program reflects the dynamic range of Ballet Hispanico's repertoire with exciting premiers by Andrea Miller, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and a live music collaboration featuring Oscar Hernandez. Those pieces, alongside works by dance masters Ramon Oller and Vicente Nebrada, create an engaging evening of Latino-infused dance.

Starring Rasta Thomas' Bad Boys of Dance, this is a dynamic, high-energy show set against a backdrop of fascinating video projected scenery. Fusing unparalleled ballet technique with the excitement of musical theater, hip-hop, contemporary and tap, Rock the Ballet is perfect for both dance lovers and first time theatergoers of all ages. The versatile and talented Bad Boys stretch the bounds of male dancing with athletic jumps, endless turns and endearing individuality. The New York Times proclaims, "Watch out world! Rasta Thomas has arrived."

Pacific Northwest Ballet, now under the direction of Peter Boal, makes its Joyce debut with East Coast premieres recently choreographed for the company by Twyla Tharp and Benjamin Millepied. Tharp's Opus 111, set to a Brahms string quintet, effuses vivacious folk flavor, while Millepied's 3 Movements features a large ensemble performing to a driving minimalist score by Steve Reich. The program also includes Marco Goecke's volatile solo Mopey and Edwaard Liang's Für Alina, an episodic duet created in 2006.

Called "heroic and spiritual" by The New York Times' Jennifer Dunning, Pascal Rioult explores what inspires humanity to endure during this time of social and economic upheaval. Rioult's fascination with what's sweet, sensual and intimate in loving relationships comes to the forefront as his beautiful company transports audiences into the inner chambers of their hearts.

The Györ National Ballet, one of Europe's most respected contemporary ballet companies, returns to The Joyce with two U.S. premieres. The all Stravinsky program commemorates the fall of the Communist regime in Europe; Rite of Spring and Petrushka both explore the sacrifices of personal freedom during a totalitarian government. With the extreme creativity of Györ's director, János Kiss, the company preserves its originality at the highest technical level. The company praised by The New York Times for "its youthful energy and creative edge" will perform strong emotional expressions of individuality, aggression and sacrifice.

Presented as part of Performing Revolution in Central and Eastern Europe, a festival coordinated by The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. www.performingrevolution.org

See an all-new version of last season's sold-out, rock dance opera, Remember Me featuring Parsons Dance and the lead vocalists and music of the Grammy-nominated rock opera band, East Village Opera Company. Direct from its first national tour, Remember Me has an entirely fresh look and feel. New choreography, all-new costumes by "Project Runway" designer Austin Scarlett and dramatic new lighting by Tony Award-winning lighting designer Howell Binkley turn up the passion and embolden David Parsons' electrifying dance. Program A features Remember Me. Program B showcases David Parsons' favorite repertory dances, including the audience favorite Caught.